NorsePlay.

Yes,  I built a NorsePlay branded axe throwing target!  So if you know me, come over and bring your hand axe and marksmanship skills. [right in the targets!] (And if you don't know me, bear in mind that I threw that axe into the target with deadly accuracy .) Using only found-on-the-streets of Tucson pallets & discarded lumber, about $9 worth of drywall screws, a four random toggles, wood glue, various cans of leftover clearish coat spraypaints for weatherproofing, some lines of brushed acrylic, and about two weeks of post-dayjob summer evenings to draft & drill it into existence. The small carved bear head I adorned the top with just for bearserker -spiration. Note that coloured pallets tend to be rentals, and by the time I learned that I'd already affixed the blue one inextricably into the project. Whoops. Other urban wood-hunting tip: Do not get pallets that have "MB" stamped on them as they've been fumigated with toxic methyl br...

The idea of the Berserker Norseplays its way into the Transformers universe. In 1987 Hasbro exports Battle Beasts as BeastFormers, including this axe-wielding armored Grizzly Bear. The temperature sensitive sticker on the breastplate revealed a hidden fire, wood, or water icon used in a rock, paper, scissors type game for the 2" figures. #    #    # Guillermo Maytorena IV knew there was something special in  the Norse Lore when he picked up a copy of the d'Aulaires'  Norse Gods and Giants  at age seven. Since t hen he's been fascinated by the truthful potency of Norse Mythology, passionately read & studied, embraced Ásatrú, launched the  Map of Midgard  project, and spearheaded the neologism/brand NorsePlay.   If you have e mployment/ opportunities in  investigative mythology,  field research, or product development to offer,  do contact him .

What wins us here is the bear drinking with Odin.  I mean, just look at him pawing that tankard of ale! So to NorsePlay: Presumably this is in Valhalla, which the nearest specific Norse Lore match could make this Böðvar Bjarki (Warlike Little-Bear) of Hrólfs saga kraka  ( Saga of King Hrolf Kraki ). On Midgard,  Böðvar needed to trance out to send forth his bear-form to fight on the battlefield, but given the metaphysical afterlife arena depicted here perhaps that physical/spiritual division process becomes unnecessary, so the  Böðvar- bear gets to feast just as much as fight. #    #    # Guillermo Maytorena IV knew there was something special in  the Norse Lore when he picked up a copy of the d'Aulaires'  Norse Gods and Giants  at age seven. Since t hen he's been fascinated by the truthful potency of Norse Mythology, passionately read & studied, embraced Ásatrú, launched the  Map of Midgard  project, and s...

Berserker bearskin headdress made by The Crafty Crawford. Complete with all paws & claws, with the upper jaw taxidermied in, claimed by Idaho harvests where the meat is eaten and the pelt sold only to cover costs with a Native American art license. #    #    # Guillermo Maytorena IV knew there was something special in  the Norse Lore when he picked up a copy of the d'Aulaires'  Norse Gods and Giants  at age seven. Since t hen he's been fascinated by the truthful potency of Norse Mythology, passionately read & studied, embraced Ásatrú, launched the  Map of Midgard  project, and spearheaded the neologism/brand NorsePlay.   If you have e mployment/ opportunities in  investigative mythology,  field research, or product development to offer,  do contact him .